Warm weather sailfish sharks cobias, kingfish groupers

Capt. Ryan McBride
February 23, 2011
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report

We have been transitioning from winter sailfish bite to spring conditions off of Ft. Lauderdale. Sailfishing has been steadily slowing and kingfish have been more and more prevalent. Cobias came through in good numbers this year and should continue into spring. Gags are chewing on the wrecks in good numbers most likely because they are now off limits to keeping.
Kingfish have been our main reef fish that we have caught in the past two weeks. Nothing huge but smaller school fish have been around in good numbers. The fish we have been catching have been from 5-20lbs.
On the beach spinner sharks have taken up residence. These sharks have been ranging from 25-50lbs and are great fun on light tackle. They jump when hooked doing a barrel roll technique that is just as exciting watching a sailfish jump. In the deep bullsharks are biting on the wrecks and around the bonita schools. These big bruisers are in the 100-300lb. range and will leave you begging him to quit and come to the surface. Mixed in on the deep are hammerhead sharks. I like to think of these as an in between the spinner and bull shark. They usually run really have a good first run and have the mass to dog it out later in the fight and make you work to get them to the surface. A really good fighting shark.
With the spring like conditions the sailfish have been out in the deep recently with most fish coming in the 180-250ft range in the last week. The fish have been in good numbers some days the key has been to find the right current and waiting for the packs of fish to come through.
Cobias have been on the wrecks and rays heading north. They pull hard and taste great and are great fun to catch especially when you are able to hook one while site fishing them off of a manta ray. They have ranged from undersized small fish to 50lb. bruisers.
Swordfishing has remained slow but we did run one charter a week and a half ago where we caught a 120lb. fish and were back at the dock by 8:30. So as always the best time to try is whenever you can get out there so give me a call to try your hand at swordfishing either day or night.
Finally the small blackfin tunas remain offshore and on the reef. They have slowed with the last full moon but should pick up again as we get further away from it.
Give me a call if you want to go fishing.
Captain Ryan
954-445-1732

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